In PCT application PCT/CA2002/001624 there is described a method of preventing theft by extensive marking of automobiles. These markings are used to identify the vehicle for title and registration purposes and to reduce car theft by making it extremely difficult, if not impossible to re-sale a vehicle or parts thereof. Unfortunately, as mentioned therein these identification marks can be altered or obliterated by skilled individuals.
There is presently on the market processes for engraving permanent markings on surfaces of materials such as glass, plastic and metal. As described in the aforementioned PCT application such method use an abrasive blasting gun assembly and a stencil on which a code is cut-out therein and positions against a surface to be abraded by sand blasting. However, when such markings are made on metal parts which are susceptible to corrosion, because the sand blasting does penetrate very deeply into the metal and because some of these metal parts are exposed to the environment, rust will form in the marking and slowly degrade and damage the marking making it difficult to identify the code. This complicates the tracking of stolen vehicles or parts There is therefore a need to develop a better method of engraving codes on objects to protect the code against damage by foreign elements or otherwise.